World Exchange
by EliseFleur
Summary: This is one of many stories i have had while i day dream in the middle of my classes while my teacher rambles on about things that we need to know in our life. My mind goes faster then i can type and i have many stories going at a time sometimes in my mind, so please excuse any mistakes. -Elsi
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

 **Did it hurt when u fell from heaven?**

I opened my eyes to the unrelenting blare of the sun in my face. I groaned as I pushed myself off of my back and looked at the slender figure laying atop of me, how did she get there, it was fuzzy but?

 **13/05/2014_4pm**

I walked home, every day the same, passing the same scenery on the same path at around the same time, my normal routine, it's not like couldn't get a lift with a mate or catch a bus I could also get my license I mean I finished my learners but there was no motivation. Really the thing was that I liked my walks after school it gave me a certain clarity about things, about how normal everything is. I'm not sure what I noticed first; if it was the scream of terror or the shadow speedily enlarging around me. I looked up and to my utter surprise was a girl falling at rapidly increasing speeds, towards me. Stared in awe for a few seconds before I realised. She was heading towards the ground the hard, foreboding, dense bone breaking concrete ground.

"Shit"

I dived towards the figure plummeting towards the earth an overwhelming intent to catch her before her beautiful slender body smacked against the concrete sidewalk. Smack!

I opened my eyes to the unrelenting blare of the sun in my face. I groaned as I pushed myself off of my back and looked at the slender figure laying atop of me, how did she get there, it was fuzzy but. It all shot through my head at once like a bullet being released from a gun. I hurriedly turned the figure over and laid her on the grass to the right of the sidewalk and looked at her face for the first time in proper detail. She was gorgeous. Not like model gorgeous but like an angel, a stern well-toned face with beautiful cascades of glowing white hair spread out around her… wait … glowing. I reeled back the shock evident in my reaction, the girl was glowing, her long hair, her beautiful face, her well-toned, well proportioned, body. I quickly snapped out of my trance like daze, even though she was glowing she needed help, she was shaking violently and her face was contorted with the agonising pain she was experiencing. I gently lifted her into my arms. Bang the world shattered around me and we both fell. Fell into a darkness they could only be explained as a lifeless void. Bang the second time it happened didn't seem quite as loud, but as it finished I realised.

"Shiiiiiiiiittttt"

We were plummeting towards the ground a solid unmoving obstruction spelling our doom, before I could think I reacted my many years of martial arts training taking in effect, I grabbed the unconscious girl next to me and cupped her head to my chest so that I would take the brunt of the force and that this beautiful enigma of a girl might live. Thwak! We hit the ground did it hurt when you fell from heaven, I don't bloody know about heaven but I definitely hurt when u fell from a pitch black bloody voidles space ripping you from where u were with a beautiful unionise girl. Something nagged at the back of my mind … what was it … something important. My eye shot out of my head as I leaped from the ground rapidly searching my body from injuries or fatal wounds. None! I was fine and I was alive, I shouted towards the sky screaming in absolute delight.

Groan. "What animal is making that ungodly howl so early in the morning".

Her eyes pierced mine like spears piercing its prey, she was gorgeous and now that her eyes were open she was absolutely. Scary.


	2. Chapter 2

**How many times must I die?**

The beasts ferocious gazed held me in spot its muscular arms coming forward to seize me. I was going to die. For the second time that day I was going to die, and this time the crazed girl was laughing. Laughing at my horror, laughing at my pain.

 **13/05/2014_4:45pm**

We stood like that, facing each other for what seemed like hours her gaze held my mine and mine hers. The only difference was that hers was of a predator hunting prey, and mine, well mine was that of defiance. I was always defiant as a grew up always going against what people wanted me to do if I thought it was wrong, and now that she thought of me of prey the person who saved her as something as simple as prey, I was furious and I showed that to her from the wild unnerving look I shot at her. The tension in the air could have been cut by a knife, and apparently someone thought it would be great to do so. The gargantuan blade swept through the air were I had been sitting a few seconds before, the girl on top of me concern quickly wiped of her face when she saw me head was still on my shoulders. The monolithic creature raised the cleaver once more over its head further and further. I was perplexed as to how flexible the creature was as it kept on going rising and going back prepared to strike. That blade would never fall because impaled though its heart was the dark black shaft of a spear, as dark as the void we fell through. The girl pulled the spear out of her lifeless victim and as soon as it left the touch of its foul body the creature burst into flames and disintegrated before my eyes.

"What the fuck"

A large calloused hand was roughly placed across my mouth the other hand trapping my hand on my back keeping me in place. Now it might seem like I was in a bad spot and awarding to the girls shocked expression apparently I was, but my stubborn self was furious absolutely furious. In that instant I rebelled away from the grasp twisting my body and hooking the hand over to my shoulder placing my back on his hips and throwing the bulk right over my head in a magnificent summersault, under normal circumstances I would have been happy about the successful throw but right now I was mad.

"First a fucking angel nearly falls on my bloody head". I screamed as I strode towards the limp bulk.

"Then I FALL through a fucking wormhole or some shit". I loudly continued.

"Then I have a staring competition with beautiful girl and a meat cleaver tries to lob my head off"

I reached the limp body on the ground its eyes alight with joy staring back at me.

"So if you think I'm going to let a bloody old man try and bloody trap me then you've got another bloody thing coming". I screamed in his delighted face.

"Y-you think I'm beautiful"

Now I had just flipped a giant old man over my shoulder and teleported through the portal but the thing that shocked me the most that day had to be the look on that girls face. I absolutely melted if died then and there I would be happy, her cheeks where lightly brazed with an embarrassed red as she tugged at her spear belt with a short pole sticking out and her face slightly pointed away but her eyes still gazed at me. I looked at her with utter perplexing.

"I ahhh … yeah I umm … I do … think so … That you are beautiful". She grinned the cutest expression that she quickly covered with her left hand.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA"

The booming laugh came from the stupid old bulk on the ground. The old man was laughing and rolling around like a three year old.

"What the fuck is so funny you old man"

"HAHAHAHA old man". This guy was hysterical." HAHAHAHAH you're beautiful" He mimicked mocking me in a high pitched tone used for general mocking of love.

"Shut it geezer" Quickly planting a kick to his guts, which in turn made him blast out with a renewed round of laughter.

The girl quietly came over and to my shock held her hand out to the old man helping him up. The shocked look on my face must have been priceless because it even produced a short snort of laughter from the beauty I had saved and a new found round of laughter from the Old Ma-. He wasn't old at all what I mistook for an old man could only be a couple years older than me and boasted the same beautiful glowing white hair of the maiden standing next to him. It then hit me the old geezer was her brother, a handsome, muscular youth with a misleading grey and ruffled beard.

The beasts ferocious gazed held me in spot its muscular arms coming forward to seize me. I was going to die. For the second time that day I was going to die, and this time the crazed girl was laughing. Laughing at my horror, laughing at my pain, as her brother embraced me with hardest bear hug I had ever felt.

"Welcome friend. To the Institution, and your exchange program".


	3. Chapter 3

**Geezer?**

Now this guys was the epitome of the word geezer, he was short had a long grey beard, long grey hair, a white robe, and the kindest of expressions as he gazed at me over the rim of his circular spectacles.

 **13/05/2014_11pm**

The walk towards the institution seemed like it would be short, and if you thought that you were wrong oh god were you wrong. Oh god is that even a term i can use here? Any how we walked until nightfall and after walking through a short village we reached the gates of the monstrous building dubbed the institute.

I was unceremoniously launched into my room the maiden quickly entering behind me and her brother blocking the entrance to the door with his unnatural bulk.

"It's passed curfew get some rest get up early". He informed me

"Oh. And don't get seen by anyone else. Wait for me to come and get you"

Like that was going to happen, I passively excepted his terms but had no though of following them, the brother left the room which was quickly locked from outside before leaving the reseeding of his footsteps diminishing. Of course my stubborn personality decided to come out, but before I could do anything, I realised that the girl was still in my room, not just in my room but also locked in my room. I let my gaze pass over her, her gorgeous body her blushed red cheeks, her nervous smile that melted my heart and my brain and finally her glowing white hair lightly falling around her shoulders a few strands intruding on the beautiful pictures' face but not taking from her beauty.

"Hi".

It seemed like such a dumb thing to say to someone you had spent the better part of the afternoon with, but luckily it coxed her into conversation.

"H-hi"

I could tell she was nervous, her predator eyes now soft as she looked at me, her previous persona of strength relieved by cuteness. I realised I was staring intently at her and she was blushing furiously, as I realised was I. I quickly averted my eyes and sat on the king size bed on the left of the room, I looked at her and patted next to me inviting her to sit. She didn't move for a few seconds but came after a quick contemplation. She gracefully walked over to me her long legs bringing her over within a few steps, she sat next to me, close enough for a shoulders to touch when we breathed simultaneously.

"Wh-whats your name". it came out in a stutter, I quickly cleared my voice pretending for it to be a cough.

The giggle that escaped her lips from the awkward confrontation, was heavenly her hair bounced around her shoulders as her body gently shook, her eyes squinted and her hand covering the source of this heavenly sounds. Maybe it wasn't so bad to be locked in here. I froze, my face literally turning the colour of the ripest tomato on … earth?. I looked down at the figure for the second time today. This time though it wasn't unconsciousness that took her but that of sleep, she rested on my shoulder, her hand placed on my leg, her eyes closed, and her breath coming softly from her lips.

I gently removed myself from under the slender figure and placed her limp body under the covers on the bed. Action time, I smiled it was time to get out of here. If you never realised before if you tell a teen not to do something they most always certainly will do that something. So with a cheeky look on my face I set about the room looking for something to unlock the door with.

After about an hour of searching I three items to unlock the door with, a hair pin, a fork and a knife. With my new found loot I headed towards my opponent. The door was a sturdy lump off intricately carved wood, I reached towards the door and shook the handle, as I thought … locked, I pulled out my tools and shoved them into key hole, for the next half hour I wiggled and prodded at the key hole with my thieves tools and tried to unlock the door as seen in the movies, but after another hour I struggled but to no avail.

"Damnit"

Cursing furiously under my breath I threw the tools to the ground in distain and kicked them away out of my sight. Since I was a little kid I always had trouble with in adamant objects, tripping over rocks and kicking my vacuum for not doing what I wanted it to. But this felt worse this felt as if the door was mocking me as my vacuum did with those plastic eyes and that painted on smile. Ina fit of rage and defiance I lashed out at the door and punched it throwing my whole body behind the strike. Click!

"You've gotta be fucking joking".

I reached out and pushed the door it swung easily on its well-oiled hinges, once again this placed confused me my martial arts almost seeming to fix anything I needed, this wasn't like earth with its logic this was something else.

I walked out of the room pretty pleased with my new found power and headed down the corridor in which I assumed was the way we had come. Unfortunately as it had earlier the institute had deceived. With its maze of tunnels in all directions and its painting and statues that judged every move I made. I was sick of this, stopped at the end of yet another dead end and looked at the door in front of me. It was a bit bigger than the rest but looked the same as they all did, a wooden door with intricate carvings. But for some reason every door but my own all had specific design fulling my anger all the more, I shoved at the door expecting to be locked, but as luck had it wasn't and I stumbled in tripping on a woollen carpet laid on the floor in the middle of what looked like an office room well at least it looked like that from where I was lying on the floor.

"Hehehehe"  
A short cackle brought me back from my damper on the floor, and I raised my head to look at the origin of the voice

"Up here lad. Looks like you had a bit of a tussle. Not for the first time today huh"

As the voice had informed me, sitting above me lounging on the large mahogany desk was a man, and old geezer, and I know if said geezer many times today and had been wrong but this guys was the epitome of the word geezer, he was short had a long grey beard, long grey hair, a white robe, and the kindest of expressions as he gazed at me over the rim of his circular spectacles knowingly staring down at me.


	4. Chapter 4

**What is Home?**

You'd expect to be sad when you're told that you can't return home, I was basically kidnapped but honestly when he mentioned home nothing came to mine. I had a place to eat and sleep but I wouldn't call that home, especially when your family cared about nothing but your success to make them look good. I didn't have a home and that made me … sad.

 **13/05/2014_1am**

"Take a seat"

I sat

"Coffee?"

I shook my head

"Don't like coffee?"

I shook my head again

The old man sighed almost resigned to the fact that the boy sitting in front of him didn't like coffee and that may have been the saddest thing to happen in his life.

"Well welcome to the institute Mr. Graile"

"Th-thank you Geez- um I mean Sir"

He chuckled to himself at the comment.

"Please. Call me professor"

Mhm was all that escaped me. I had just broken into this poor man's room and now I was sitting in a comfortable leather arm chair while he hummed to himself and made a pot of coffee. All in all it was a very awkward situation, one where I wish I could just sink and disappear into this comfortable high backed chair.

"You obviously have many questions. Which would you like to know first?"

The comment startled me. When had he sat down across from me and where did the second chair come from. I was so far in thought that I didn't realise he had finished his coffee and had patiently been waiting opposite me.

"Oh sorry I didn't realise you were there" I said a little bit flushed

"Indeed" he replied gently

"Well first of all. Who are you and where am I?"

"I am the headmaster of this fine School. And you are at the institute"

I realised how stupid my question had been seeing that I knew that this was indeed the institute and that he would indeed be the head master with the title professor. I sighed at my incompetence.

"May I ask another question?'

"I believe you just did"

Once again caught of guard by the old man I realised I had asked a question in trying to see if I could ask a question.

"Today isn't my day" I sighed silently at the roof

"Although there is magic here I'm not sure the roof will respond to you"

The old man was on fire he smile caringly at me but you could see he enjoyed causing mischief. I decided to push through and ask my question.

"How did I get here, Why am I here … and am I on earth"

"Now we ask the right questions. Welcome the world of vale. The opposite of your world earth, of technology, we are of magic and are more highly evolved then your human species, but it seems that children are sprouting with natural abilities to that of our own. So we have started a program called exchange, where we bring children to us and teach them our ways of magic and fighting which you have previously displayed"

I wasn't shocked at the response, it seemed to make sense with all that happened and sounded pretty cool. You'd expect to be sad when you're told that you can't return home, I was basically kidnapped but honestly when he mentioned home nothing came to mine. I had a place to eat and sleep but I wouldn't call that home, especially when your family cared about nothing but your success to make them look good. I didn't have a home and that made me … sad.

The professor seemed to know what I was thinking and kindly placed a warm hand on my shoulder. I felt suddenly drowsy.

He whispered to me in a calm and relaxing voice "you'll find out more tomorrow at the opening ceremony. I have high hoped for you son".


	5. Chapter 5

**Dat Ase Do?**

I then realised my mistake, I was laying on the girl from yesterday and as I stretched I was about to grab … her ase.

 **14/05/2014_6am**

"Good morning hero"

I was having a nice dream one with a lovely girl and a beach, when I awoke. It was a very comfortable bed and had a nice shape and a nice voice as it spoke to me.

"Better get up, the ceremony will begin soon"

I stretched as I heard the voice gently stirring me from my sleep. When suddenly and iron grip clamped on my right arm. I awoke startled and stared at the offending object … a hand, a slender yet worked hand connected to a body of utmost grace. I then realised my mistake, I was laying on the girl from yesterday and as I stretched I was about to grab … her ase.

I lept from the bed into the air and onto the ground as I landed I crouched and bowed low to the ground.

"I'm so sorry I didn't know you were there"

What was next I did not expect, a giggle much like the booming laughter of her brother but softer and cute. Because there lying in front of me was the maiden rolling on the bed laughing at my embarrassment as I bowed apologetically In front of her.

Disgruntled I stood and glared at her flawless features, but couldn't help the little grin that escaped on the left side of my mouth.

"I believe we haven't been introduced Hero"

There it was again that one word that my heart skipped when she called me it. Hero, I liked it and if I told her my name would she still call me that. I wasn't sure.

"My name is Alii, Alii Graile, it's a pleasure to make you acquaintance"

"So polite, and so cute to" she purred at me

I blushed a little at the compliment

"My name is Elise, Elise Fleur, but if it suits you please call me Esli"

"Elsi, it- it's a lovely name"

The compliment seemed to please her and that made me happy. Why?

"You better get changed your uniforms in the cupboard, ceremony starts in ten minutes meet me outside when you are done"

The uniform appeared to be a long pair of trousers and smart athletic open collared shirt and Jacket with the same intricate designs as my door. It wasn't too bad it looked quite smart and when I rolled up the sleeves of my Jacket I looked quite cool and charismatic.

"Are you done making out with your reflection?"

Just outside of the door was Elsi, Smirking at me as I checked myself out, I flushed with embarrassment before I mumbled a quick conformation.

"Good because we are late. Keep up"

We sped through the never ending maize of halls and before I knew it I was lost again and all I could to was follow the fleeting figure Elsi in front of me.

We finally reached a set of double doors. The same double doors as the night I met the professor.

"Why are we at the Professors doors?" I enquired her.

She took a step back a frown creased her face.

"You left the room didn't you."

"Um … yes"

She swore under hear breath.

"I don't know how you escaped or met the professor but you are the first to seem him in seven years"

"SEVEN YEARS. That's crazy"

"Yes, yes it is"

She opened the doors to the professor's room with its comfortable chairs. What I did not expect to see was a massive hall situated in front of a stage with eight groups of students each with different intricate symbols on their back. And there at the very front casually sitting on his mahogany desk was the professor.

Everyone seemed in awe of him as if he was a deity, he motioned for me Elsi and I to step forward, so we did. We made our way to the front of the stage.

"Sup Geezer"

As soon as the cursed words left my mouth I regretted it, the whole school backed up and gasped in shock, even beautiful Elsi.

But all the professor did was laugh, it started of quiet but turned into a haughty chuckle, it was contagious and soon we were leaning on each other trying to catch our breath like old friends, over a small joke or anecdote.

After the ruckus he turned to the school.

"Welcome to yet another year at the institute. As you may have seen, I am back after leaving for seven years, and I must apologise but as a present as such for you I bring you a new student"

"Please make welcome the first exchange from earth in over seven years. Alii graile"


	6. Chapter 6

**Choose a guild?**

I looked around and saw Elsi standing at the front of a guild group with her brother and another boy. I hated it straight away, the way he stood there all high and mighty next to Elsi made me angry. Why?

 **14/05/2014_7am**

Sitting next to the professor as if I was his right hand man was quite thrilling, although I knew many in the audience wouldn't be happy with it I was quite happy to be up in front, the main subject of the day.

"I hope you will all extend a helping hand to Alii if he needs it" the professor finished telling the students.

He looked at me and then at the students.

"Now it is times for a new students and our exchange to choose their guilds in which they will form a bond lasting a life time".

I looked around and saw Elsi standing at the front of a guild group with her brother and another boy. I hated it straight away, the way he stood there all high and mighty next to Elsi made me angry. Why? I dismissed the thought and looked back to the crowd. The professor looked at me.

"Now which guild would you like to join" he reached for my shoulder for the second time since we met and before I realised what he was doing I fell unconscious.

I awoke with a start in my seat the Professor looking kindly into my eyes over his round rimmed spectacles smiling. He held out his hand and helped me up.

"I have awoken his power and now to test his strength he shall fight the leaders of all guilds in this hall"

The utter surprise shown across the room was evident as the professor announced this. Obviously this was unheard of, but still everyone made a ring around 14 students who stood in the middle. One of which was Elsi and the boy who stood next to her.

"Alii, all of these people are heads of different guilds, one of which you will join I f you win"

Many of the people in the eighth guild lowered their heads at this, quite obviously this was not a good thing.

"When you defeat your opponent you will get the choice to become part of their guild, But this is a death match"

"What!"

I looked at his face in utter shock, his eyes changing from his kindly expression as if he was staring down upon a pitiful insect.

"This is a fight to the death my son and if you lose you will die, if you win you become the head of which ever guild you choose"

"But I can't fight them, let alone kill them"

"Then I'm sorry to say you will die"

The look in the kindly old man's gaze as he looked at me was not as it was before. It was a cold unwavering resentment to my cowardice. I stepped into the ring facing off against the 14 people in front of me. I tried to me Elsi's eyes but she would not look at me and instead pulled the pole from her belt which promptly extended into the deadly spear from before. Much like Elsi the rest all pulled out weapons, swords bows, Chain Scythes, daggers and even gauntlets. I had nothing, nothing to fight with, nothing to help me defeat 14 trained killers, and nothing to urge me on. So I stood there as they came at me with their weapons. Woosh! the first weapon glided past my head the second right above me, the third under my feet. Why where they all missing there target? Before I realised it I was dodging them, every single attack I was dodging. Were they going easy on me? And how was I doing this, pushing this wonder aside I danced away from the weapons dodging and weaving through their attacks. The fighters new this wouldn't work and sounded me, slowly closing in the held out there weapons.

"Fuck this"

I muttered to myself over and over as tears welled up in my eyes. Why did I deserve this, I saved Elsi and now she's trying to kill me, the kindly old man who had been so nice to me the previous night was looking at me as if this was a game to him. My defiance burst out.

I screamed into the air

"Fuck you old man"

And charged forward at the closest enemy, she had a Rapier and darted back jabbing at me whenever I got close, but she was to slow, I could see every movement, every attack as it came, I turned as she over extended herself and elbowed her as her body tripped into me, my elbow connecting with her nose and pushing through to her face, knocking her back a few meters before she slid to a stop unconscious on the ground.

My opponents glared at me, there anger showing now as they came in. Once again I dance forward and around there blades lashing out whenever they got close. I was to slow red marks were showing on my uniform as some of the attacks made it past my guard striking me and slowing me. No I had to be faster, Faster, FASTER, FASTER!

Smack!, I hit a young stocky boy in his jawline dislocating it with a single hit, he smacked into one of his allies and I charged forward taking this opportunity to disarm and kick him in the chest, knocking them both to the ground, the crowd was cheering now, like blood thirsty hyenas waiting for a fight to finish so they might reap the rewards. I kept fighting darting in and out disarming another two opponents and knocking more to the ground.

Before too long I stood facing two people, how cliché, there she was in all her beauty, Elsi and next to her the boy from earlier, he scowled at me, and I back at him. He roughly shoved Elsi to the side so he could face me one on one. Bad idea my anger flared up dark smoke slowly curling off of my body as Elsi fell to the ground next to her selfish partner.

He struck at this distraction.

I was to slow.

His sword sticking out of my stomach.

He let go, and stepped back a triumphant grin on his smug face. Oh how I wish I could remove it for him. His smirk quickly changed to that of fear as he watched me rip the jagged edged sword from my stomach and hold it out towards him.

And now I had a weapon.

I laughed manically and swung the weapon towards the boy's necks.


	7. Chapter 7

**Archaic?**

I let her blade pass through me as tears welled in her eyes and streamed down her flawless face on to my shoulder. I pulled her in closer as we hugged her spear through my stomach all the while. What is it with me and dying for her I thought to myself. It's fine, I smiled and kissed her forehead.

 **14/05/2014_7am**

The blade swung in a deadly ark towards the frightened boys head and passed right through him … what the fuck, I looked back to see the boy tripping over Elsi from where he through her to the ground and barely missing the blade by a hairs length. I changed the grip on the blade and plunged it towards his falling fleeting figure, there's no way he could dodge this, no way on … Vale?

The sword plunged towards he heart as he fell. Clang! The Sword flew out of my hands and into the ground next to me as Elsi swung the spear around and vaulted herself up, kicking me in the leg. I dropped to the ground breathing heavily black mist still curling of off my body, blood pooling from my multiple wounds onto the tiled floor. She held the blade to my chest pulled back and prepared to strike, she came at me like lighting and the sound the blade made as it hit the tiles were I was a moment ago sounded like it also, I appeared behind her, grasping the butt of her spear, swinging it around and flinging the spear and it's wielder into the wall. The wall smashed under the impact, the mist dissipating as I looked at the girl bleeding on the wall and realised in horror at what I had just done. I- I-I kille- … I felt a tingling in my stomach as I looked up into the eyes of an angel I let her blade pass through me as tears welled in her eyes and streamed down her flawless face on to my shoulder. I pulled her in closer as we hugged her spear through my stomach all the while. What is it with me and dying for her I thought to myself. It's fine, I smiled and kissed her forehead. At least I hadn't killed her. If she was a live then I was happy. Why? So many times I asked myself why I was happy when she was okay.

"hahaha" I chuckled quietly to myself before I passed into death. I awoke with a start sitting in the leather chair where I had sat next the professor. Eight groups of students facing me smiling broadly. The biggest of them all had to be Elsi's, or the old man sitting on his mahogany table as he looked over at me with his kindly eyes over those blasted spectacles.

"Welcome back son, how was your trip"

"My-my trip?"

Hadn't I just defeated 13 students and died? What was happening.

"You really thought I would let you fight the best students out our institute and get you to kill your new family. I'm sorry"

"Let me explain, all students have to go through a mental initiation so that we may find out there abilities and how they react under stressful situation"

"Well how did I do" I was still unhappy about being tricked but I felt relieved everyone was okay and felt a certain sense of accomplishment when I heard his net words.

"Well my son, you exceeded expectations in all fields. You didn't kill anybody just because they told you to, you disarmed them and used the surroundings to your advantage"

I was ecstatic at his praise, but his gaze changed and looked troubled as he said his next line.

"You have great power" I smiled

"But unfortunately your power is demonic" the crowd collectively gasped and looked at me with new found eyes, that of horror and disbelief as they looked upon a monster.

"D-demonic?'

"I'm afraid so, you have great power, but your power is hard to control, and comes from evil, such as anger, defiance, greed, envy and jealousy. You nearly kill Elises cousin in jealousy because you thought that he was abusing her and that they were a couple, thus afterwards your powers were out of control and nearly killed Elise as well"

I slunk into my chair hopping this was still part of the test and that I would be awoken and that I would fail the test. That did not happen.

"It's okay son, you can learn to control your powers, I personally will instruct you as will the guild master that you choose, speaking of which"

He turned to the crowd this time as he spoke.

"Guilds. I ask of you, who will except this hero as one of you, as your new brother and family"

"Hero, yeah right, we all sore what happened" They did?

"He's a monster, no he's worse, he's a demon" There's a difference?

"No one will accept him" Why not?

The Professor looked startled at these remarks and looked at his family, his students with great sadness.

"I'll leav-"

"We'll take him"

I looked over hopefully at Elsi, standing first in the line of the first group. But all I saw was her downfallen face as he looked away with me in shame. If it wasn't her, then who …

I looked to the opposite side to the eighth group where a young woman had stepped out, a muscular young woman with a tall, broad figure and a beautiful body, her head boasting long crimson hair falling in front of her face on one side and tied high in a ponytail at the back reaching the floor. I stared in awe at this powerful beauty. She looked into my arms and came to a firmer conclusion.

"Geezer I said we'll take the squirt"

"SQUIRT I'm not a bloody squirt lady, I- I'm a bloody demon you hear"

A small smile crossed her face, satisfied with my reaction. The professors face returned to it's kind happy expression as he took my hand held it in the air.

"Welcome Alii Graile to the Institute. And also, to the Guild ... Archaic"


	8. Chapter 8

**Welcome, Demon or hero?**

Click the door unlocked permitting us entrance, and slammed shut as mum closed it behind us with a quiet cackled. Shit, this isn't good

 **14/05/2014_8am**

Standing in front of an intricately designed door (Like all the rest), nervous (again), I knocked on the door. 5 seconds, 10 seconds, I knocked again, the door opened just as my fist was about hit the wooden frame once more. Standing in the brightly lit doorway was the red haired warrior, she stood about as tall as me, around 7ft but her hair rising on her head like a brilliant red water spout leading down a trail over her shoulder onto her back and lightly laying on the floor made her at least a couple centimetres taller.

"Hey there newbie"

"Hello"

"Well don't just stand there, what you waiting for a formal invitation, get your but in in" she jokingly shoved me as I got moving.

I did as was asked off me and stepped inside the door way, as I walked in I saw a few other people milling around.

"Welcome to Archaic"

A blacked haired youth greeted me, with his outstretched lightly tattooed arm, he seemed to also have long hair but only to one side whereas the other was shaved so it looked more like a dark waterfall falling from his left over his head down the right side of his face.

"Thanks"

I took his arm and he led me to a comfy couch, at the far end of the room. We all sat around a small coffee table facing each other. A long silence drew out before I decided to speak up.

"Archaic's a cool name"

Everyone in the room went from awkward silence to malicious scowls in an instant.

"Do you know what archaic means said the red head?"

"Um. No I don't believe I do"

"That's fine" The boy placed his hand on my shoulder

"It means that we don't fit in, that is its actual definition. We are the outcasts of the school, we may be powerful but there are few of us and people are scared of our powers. So we banded together in archaic until we can control out powers and prove everyone wrong, and join a proper guild ourselves"

"Oh"

"I'm sorry. I didn't realise"

Joanna spoke up next.

"Don't apologise and don't pity us, your family now, welcome to archaic, I'm its leader Joanna. This tattooed stud is Jayce. After about 5 minutes of introductions I was given a time table of classes I had to attend and a map of the school (finally).

There were a few cool clases that caught my eye like fighting, parkour and Power control.

"What does A and M mean"

"Each class has two guilds in them that learn together. A is Archaic us. And M is Moonfire, with their pompous queen Elise Fleur"

"Oh"

"Classes don't start till tomorrow so you better get you stuff sorted before then, if you need any help then ask Jayce, he's got nothing else better to do"

"Oi speak for yourself Red"

"Got something on huh Jaycey, got a hot date, huh, meeting a lady friend"

"Shuttup"

Joanna turned to me a triumphant grin plaster across her face. It looked like that they had this conversation many times in the past, with the same outcome.

"Jayce here is a bit of a player when it comes to the ladies, and a little bit techy about it to"

After saying my goodbyes I walked slowly back to my room following the map that Joanna had given me. After getting lost two or three times I managed to find myself back at my dorm. I opened it and walked in, as I closed it behind me I heard a cheerful voice from the kitchen shout out to me.

"ALII, hey your back, haha I thought you had left, I'm so glad that a guild chose you"

Elsi? What was she still doing here?

"Why didn't you choose me?"

"You must understand, I am grateful for your help, but I can't make the decision by myself"

"I saved your life"

"I know and I'm grateful, but I also have commitments as a guild leader, but I promise I'll make it up to you. Nad if you remember correctly I saved your life also"

"Because you brought me here"

"No id didn't, the old man did, no one can use void magic except for masters"

"Whatever"

I sulked over to the bed and face planted into the douve resting there for a few minutes. I heard the door gentle shut behind me, turning around I caught a glimpse of Elsi's fleeting figure sulk out the door.

I got up and started to mope about my room, having a look at the items within. If I had class tomorrow how should I introduce myself hmmm, maybe a cool one liner or a joke? Oh yeah Elsis going to be in my class. I guess that's not too bad, not like I care though.

Joanna and Jayce will be there two, I smiled at the though, Joanna seems really cool, she also pretty hot, wait weren't there meant to be two captains. In every line there were two people at the front as captains … except Archaic … I'll have to ask about that later.

Might as well take a look around.

I headed to the front door of the institute towards its large iron bared oaken doors.

"Big fucking door, isn't it"

I jumped into the air startled at the sudden voice behind me

"HAHAHA, I get the best reactions out of you, ohhhh, hahahaha, you're great. You should always be aware of your surroundings mate"

The mocking finished off with a quick slap to my back shooting me forward away from the muscular Frank.

"Sup Kiddo"

"Nothing, just going for a walk"

"Were to?"

"Um outside"

"That's a large area to cover, follow me"

The people here were very good at finding faults about things that I did. But I obediently followed the tall muscular youth his white crew cut hair bobbing as he hummed to himself. Here we are, he opened a door. We walked into a small kitchen establishment and was greeted by a small woman.

"This here is our cook, mum"

One cook?

"Hello dearie, what brings you down here?"

"Hello Ma'am"

"Mum's fine love"

"Actually I was taking young Alii down the back" I caught a quick look at a sly wink from frank to mum.

This isn't good!

"Of course, by all means"

Mum pivoted on her foot and walked off slightly hunched from always looking over a benchtop, her grey hair falling short of her shoulders her wrinkled hands reaching for a key inside of her apron pocket. Click! The door unlocked permitting us entrance, and slammed shut as mum closed it behind us with a quiet cackled.

Shit, this isn't good!

Frank turned to me a wildly excited look on his face as he grabbed my arm and lead me down a large damp stair well deeper into the "cellar".

"Were are we going?"

"Shush little Al, you'll see"

Another door came into sight in front of us, frank this time unlocked it with a few muttered words under his breath and shoved me through, once again the door slamming behind us. What is it with these bloody doors slamming behind me whenever I walk into a room, my agitation rising.

My eyes adjusted to the light what I saw amazed and shocked me, I stood rooted in place unable to move from the spot.


	9. Chapter 9

_Hey Guys so i hope you are all enjoying my story as much i enjoy writing it :P. If you enjoy this i am also working on another story, a more modern story using my friends as characters, so if u wish to be in it just comment your char and about them._

 _Thanks friends :)_

 _-Elsi.F_

 **Assessment?**

As the woman's hand pulled back from her chest coming with it, skin and bone ripping forth from the skin as it snapped and broke through, escaping her body, her blood spilling forth over her, on to the woman's hand.

 **14/05/2014_10am**

What I saw amazed me.

A large wooden cabin structure with a bar at the far end, velvet cushioned seats facing a range of drinks. Liquor? Multiple booths placed around the edge of the room hosting older looking students and a pool table in the centre with a hanging light.

"Welcome to Elysium."

Frank grandly waved his hand around the room.

"This is too cool".

I gazed at it all in awe while Frank led me over to a group of guys sitting at a table and pushed me into a seat opposite him.

"What is this place?"

"This place was made by seniors a couple years ago for older kids to spend their time in. You look old enough and a few of the guys wanted to meet you, after they saw your ceremony display"

Buy guys he must have meant girls as well, because a lot of the girls were staring at me from different tables around the room and giggling to each other.

"This is James"

Introducing me to a boy much like himself with a muscular build and short hair, they could easily be mistaken for brothers if he didn't have brown hair, or mismatched eyes. I shook his extended hand. My eyes fixed switching between his right dark brown eye and left blue eye.

"Hi"

A grunt was all I received in acknowledgment.

Next was Remmy, a squirrely kid but still with some tone to his body, a messy tussle of brown hair sprouting from his head, and a well-defined face. He watched me as I took his hand and shook it, assessing my movements.

"He seems cool"

"Ah thanks" I stuttered at the … compliment?

The last lad introduced to me was a normal enough boy, not tall/not short, not muscular/not scrawny. He seemed pretty average, well as average as you can get with long black hair covering your eyes, and an evil looking smile on your face"

"Hello"

"Hello"

What the fuck, he mimicked my voice exactly, he spoke in the exact pitch and way that I spoke.

"HAHAHA don't be too frightened of Kell he's generally harmless"

Generally?

"Well that is if you don't piss him off"

That didn't boost my confidence as I let go if his cold hand.

An enchanting voice came from behind me.

"It's rude not to introduce the hostess to your new guest, Frankie"

This was the first time I had seen Frank flustered, his face immediately turning a bright shade of red.

I turned to find the owner of this seductive voice.

"Hey there cutie" she said to me, looking me up and down.

She was really hot. Not like Elsi's grace, or Joanna's powerful hotness, but just plane smoking Hot.

"Shit, you're Hot"

"Piss of Syrena" the venom in Frank's voice was clear.

"But cutie here wants to spend more time with me. Don't you cutie"

"Piss. Of. Syrena" His tone was scaring me as he slowly rose.

"You hear the man Syrena" stated a voice from behind her.

Joanna!? What was she doing here?

Scoff! "Fine" she stormed away from the table, but not before winking at me.

I smiled thanks to Joanna, before I realised how furious she was, stalking forward she slammed her hands on the table in front of Frank.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing Frankie? Bringing the kid down here, he's probably underage in the first place, and he has his first set of classes tomorrow"

"And you, get back to your dorm" She glared right through me as she said it.

Why was she angry at me, I Didn't know any better I was forced here. But under the circumstances, I didn't really have much choice.

"Alright"

I mumbled and dislodged myself of the couch and away from the others. Joanna pushing herself of the bench were she had slammed her hands onto. She interlocked her arm with mine and led me to the door, my heart raced a bit with the contact. She must have come down here to enjoy herself and now she was helping me (again).

"How old are you?"

"18" I answered

"So your just the age, you can come back down here, but not with Frank, he will get you drunk and you won't do well during classes. Is that understood?"

"Yes Joanna"

"Call me Anna kiddo"

"Alright. Sorry"

She sighed

"It's okay, I shouldn't have gotten so angry at you" She embraced me tightly with an apologetic hug. Before holding me at arm's length.

"Can you find your way back?"

"Yeah. Thanks"

She kissed me on the forehead.

"Get some lunch from mum on your way up and then finish getting ready fore class tomorrow like I told you to"

"Alright"

 **Perspective Elise**

She kissed him on the head. She just hugged him and kissed him on the head. That bitch, she never liked me and now she's pulling this stunt. I found him first, he's mine.

Angrily I stormed past them bumping Alii in the process, knocking him into Joanna. Fuck, what did I do that for, it's like I'm trying the help them.

I burst through the doors to the bar.

"Hey Sis, come take a seat, you just missed you boyfriend"

"No I didn't, I hit him pretty well when I walked past him"

"You mean him and Jo Jo"

"Shuttup. We got assessment tonight. Pack your stuff"

Frankie ialways loved assessment, especially when he got to asses others, in heart he was kind, but he had a side to him that liked to see people squirm.

"With pleasure"

 **Perspective Alii**

After getting everything I needed for my classes and with a little help from Jayce, I was tired. The dorms bed was really nice. I fell asleep straight away, but I didn't have much time for rest before I was roughly woken and a bag was placed over my head.

"Alii. ALII" Why was there shouting, why was everything so black?

"Alii, wake up, Alii"

My eyes slowly opened. I took in my surroundings, well more so didn't take in my surroundings. It was pitch black!

"Alii thank god"

Anna grabbed me by the shoulders and slowly pulled me upright.

"Are you okay"

"Yeah I'm fine" I lied.

I had no idea where I was, who was it that put the bag over my head or why.

"Alii, hey Alii"

"Sorry what"

"I asked if you could stand"

"Oh yeah yeah sorry"

Anna helped me up off of the ground, it felt slippery like a wet floor.

"Anna where are we"

"I'm not sure, but we need to get out"

The darkness was unnerving, and the echo of our voices around us didn't help that fact. We started walking … Forwards? Feeling the walls as we went.

"A-alii"

"Yeah whasup"

"I um. I'm not too good in the dark"

"Here hold onto my hand"

She clasped my hand and we walked further down the path, Anna's hand started tightening around mine as we went, I had to do something to keep her focused.

"Why are you afraid of the dark?"

Stupid why would asking about their fear help her.

But it started a conversation.

"I-um, as a kid I was and orphan and didn't have anywhere to live so I was always in the run"

 **Perspective Joanna**

 **16/02/2003**

I ran faster and faster away from the men chasing me, I could here there footsteps in the cave behind me. I was only seven and my parents had abandoned me on the streets at age 4, I don't even remember them very well, so I can't exactly hate them. But I hated the people chasing me.

Every night they would go into the slums and hunt girls, I had seen them do it many times before but I had always been careful to stay away from them. They would come into the slums and offer foods and clothes to those there, especially the women, who were always grateful, but every night sometimes 1, 2 or even 3 girls would not come back. The men had always claimed they had found jobs in other cities for these women and that they would help us in the same way if they could. I didn't believe them, so one night I trailed them, as they led the girls into a carriage outside, mystical steeds attached to the front, taking them away and out of sight. That night I had attached myself to the under carriage of said vehicle and waited there for hours as I heard the men and women laughing above me. I had intended to give up after a while because all I could here was there joy, maybe I had been wrong, so I dropped of the carriage and rolled into the undergrowth on the outer rode, as I landed I heard it. It was defining and horrid, the women were being dragged out of the carriage hands bound and screaming for help, out of the bush stepped a lady, I'll never forget those evil eyes as long as I live, she glared at the women that had been captured freezing them in spot with eyes shaped like that of a serpent,

"Another hall, Mistress"

"Mmm well done Casey, this is why I keep you around. My favourite pet"

She slowly stroked his face, the joy on his face in my eyes was horrid as she pet him like an animal, and his enjoyment in it. She then to Casey's disgust moved on to the women.

"Calm down my lovely's, you will serve a great cause" and at that the women stopped struggling, gazing into the mistresses cold eyes as she stroked her hand down their face and neck onto their chests holding it their between their breasts. Crack! The women's eyes rolled into the back of her head, her scream defining the handlers, as the mistresses hand pulled back from her chest coming with it, flesh and bone ripping forth from the skin as it snapped and broke escaping her body, her blood spilling forth over her on to the Mistresses hand …I was frozen I couldn't take my eyes of it the whole time this happened, and then … then the most horrid thing happened as the lady snapped her hand away shooting forth in a glowing energy was the captured ladies heart, it tore through the bone like toothpicks, it ripped out of her flesh like it was parchment and softly landing in the woman's palm.

She raised the heart into the air holding in sight of everyone, I screamed, I screamed a terrified scream as she lowered the heart into their mouth and swallowed it whole, her mouth coated in blood.

Her head snapped towards me as soon as she heard the scream. I ran, I ran for my life, but to no avail. She raised her hand towards me. Badum! I keeled over my heart beating in my chest harder and harder.

"Such a strong heart" She crooned above me as she played with my hair twirling it around in her fingers.

"Were going to have to break this heart down before I can pick it, wouldn't you agree Casey"

At the sound of his voice he appeared next to his mistress and bound my hands.

"Until we meet again. My little lamb" She whispered before disappearing into the trees.

The darkness took hold, I was flung into a cave, a large boulder closing the entrance. I had no food no light and no hope. I sat in the back of the cave my hands wrapped around my legs as I crawled up into a ball, remembering over and over the horrible things I had seen that night under that dark foreboding starless sky.

I don't know how much time had passed, but I was frightened. In that terribly blinding darkness I could hear voices and sounds, see thing moving, objects brushing past me as I sat there alone and petrified.

 **Perspective Casey**

It had been two weeks since I had thrown the girl into the cave, and I had been greatly rewarded with pleasure from my mistress. The mere thought of her overcame me with euphoria.

"Casey!"

I was rudely snapped out of my thoughts by a new kid in the group, who was sprinting towards me panting and sweating while pointing to the cave which the girl was trapped in. Smoke? Smoke!

"Shit"

Who the hell was on duty, what did they do.

"OPEN IT!"

If she died in there so would I, the mistress gave handsomely to those who did well, as I had learned over my 20 years in her service, but I had also seen many of my friends killed by her from messing up the slightest of things.

I sprinted towards the now smouldering cave where the boulder was being removed. And to my utmost shock there in the corner was the little girl wrapped in and orb of living fire lashing out at the rocks around her, her hair had turned from a dirty shade of brown to a beautiful red that was now engulfed in flames as it flailed around whipping at everything that had come near to her.

 **Perspective Joanna**

I opened my eyes. Why was there so much yelling? It was probably my mind playing tricks on me. I forced my eyes open, it was blazing, the sun in my face and my arms and legs and … I was on fire!

"Ahhhhhhhhh"

I screamed standing up as the warm glow burnt around me, looking around I saw the fire wiping out at everything around slicing down men left and right and scorching the rocks in the cave with their vicious tendrils.

The door was open.

I was afraid but I ran, I ran out the door as fast as I could crying all the while. I was still on fire as I made it to the entrance to the cave.

I ran faster and faster away from the men chasing me, I could here there footsteps in the cave behind. There yelling as their prey escaped them out the entrance.

I tripped as I reached the end, and fell, the cave had put me out on a cliff that led down to the ocean, the ocean that caught my fire wreathed body and smashed me against the base of the cliff.

I awoke frightened, cold and wet on the beach. What had I just done, I wasn't a murderer yet all over me were stains of blood, of people I had killed. I never wanted to see fire, or darkness again.

 **Perspective Changed Alii**

We had reached the entrance, as Anna finished her story, tears freely flowing down my cheeks onto my lips the salt stinging the scratches from where I had bit at them, and them finally falling to the floor.

"And that's where the professor had found me" She continued.

"Alone crying on a beach. He didn't ask a single question. He just picked me up and walked for days with me in his arms towards the Institute. It wasn't until later I realised that he could have Void walked as he had done with you. But did not in fear that my mind might break in the abyssal darkness"

I turned towards her once we made it into the fresh, cool night outside on a cliff overlooking the beach.

"Why are you crying?"

She reached out and wiped the tears off of my eyes, I held her hand and looked into her eyes,

"Don't pity me" She looked away

"I'm not"

She looked at me in confusion.

"Were family now remember"

She looked down at her feet and held her hands to her shoulders as a cold breeze swept pass the cliff face.

"Thank you"


	10. Chapter 10

**Escape?**

There was a sheer drop between us and the rocky waters deep below. Standing at the front of the entrance to the cave was a monster, the likes of which have never been imagined even in my worst nightmares.

 **14/05/2014_12pm**

We searched around the entrance for a safe way of off the cliff. We found none. The only way down was to jump, jump into the deep dark depths of the hungrily waiting ocean, ready to throw us back against the cliff face when it embraced us. By now we were cold and tired, Anna was too afraid of her powers to light us a fire, and who could blame her, after what she had experienced.

As time passed we became drowsy, our strength leached away by the cold night air, all the more made worse by the uncomfortable pellets of sand that carried through the wind hailing us from the beach.

We sat huddled next to each other in only our night ware, keeping each other as warm as possible. After a while we got used to disturbances and Anna managed to fall asleep resting on my shoulder.

 **15/05/2014_5am**

I heard it and at first wasn't sure if I was hallucinating from the cold, but it came again from deep inside cave. A quiet rumbling sound, it sounded like a stomach, a hungry stomach. I looked up and realised that the sun was rising, had time really gone past that quickly. Startled I realised the sound was getting louder, which meant whatever it belonged to was getting closer. I turned towards the huddled sleeping form of Anna and shook her gently at first in the hopes of waking her. She did not. I shook her a little harder the second time calling out her name. She was well and truly out, completely dead to the world. Under other circumstances this could have been humorous or even cute, but right now I had no weapon and something was coming from inside the cave.

I looked at the floor around me, searching for a weapon. A loose shard of rock was at the edge of the cliff. I picked it up in my right hand standing in front of Anna ready to defend the sleeping girl. There was a sheer drop between us and the rocky waters deep below. Standing at the front of the entrance to the cave was a monster, the likes of which have never been imagined even in my worst nightmares.

Because there standing in front and above me by several heads was a gargantuan beast. It had sluggish appearance, multiple eyes popping out of what would could only be assumed to be its head, vine like extremities reaching out of its torso waving around on the inside of the cave, as it dragged itself out.

I held the now inadequate rock in one hand, the other stretched over so that it was in front of Anna's body. The beasts many glazed eyes swivelled around its head taking in the sight outside of its home. Taking in the sight of everything except us. As soon as I realised this I ducked down, crouching as low as I could without becoming immobile, I looked at the creature for a second time, this wasn't a predator, it was a prey, the eyes on top of its head used to search the skies for any predator that may want to claim it as food. The thought crossed my mind but did not register until I heard the large ferocious shriek of a bird splintering the silence. All eyes of those on the cliff excluding those of the sleeping Anna turned towards the terrifying sound.

Directly over the beach diving towards its prey was an eagle. Its awe inspiring beauty and grace In the sky catching my eye, but what caught my attention the most, was not it's glistening onyx claws, or it's beautiful brown feathered wingspan, but the fact that it had two sets of wings and a pair of horns sticking from the top of its head as well as three long tails dragging lazily in the Jetstream behind the ferocious beast. It swooped over and past me grabbing the Mollusc in its claws, ripping it of the cliff face leaving a slimy messy trail as it fell and landed on the rocks below, killing it almost instantly with a disgusting squelch sound which resonated through the echoing cliffs.

 **Perspective Anna**

Screeching broke my trance like slumber the first night off which I hadn't had a nightmare, but this screeching was attacking the new found peace. This annoying screeching stopped, replaced by the swift beat of wings and a crumble of rocks. My eyes shot open as the contents of the previous day invaded my sleep, I shot up and turned towards the source of the sounds. An Air- Beast a ferocious and one of many forms of beasts that inhabited Dale, and there standing between me and the Air-Beast, was Alii, an innocent looking rock in one hand the other pushing my limp body deeper into the cave. The bird tilted its head to the side in a questioning way as it watched two mice head back into their little cave, its beak gleaming with a shiny and sticky substance. Probably what It had had for breakfast … so what did it want from us?

Most beasts were notoriously known for playing with their food and hunting for fun, but Air-Beasts were majestic and honourable creatures and only killed for the purpose of eating. Alii walked slowly out of the cave rock ready to strike in one hand the other poised in a defensive position. He looked incredibly insignificant compared to the Air-Beast before him. The bird stretched its head forward passively, a gleam in his eye told me otherwise.

 **Perspective Alii**

We just found our way of this mountain!

I walked towards the bird it passively reached its head forward, I smiled. This was too easy, a satisfied bird to fly us of the dreaded cliff.

Naïve me!

The beak shot forward, a bullet out of a barrel heading towards my head its glistening beak moments away from decapitating me.

A flash caught the corner of my eye as a strand of read shot forward whipping the beak moments before hitting my head, its sharp point ripping the skin above my eyebrow and over my forehead blood pooling over the right side of my face and into my open eye.

For fucks sake, what is it with everything in Dale trying to kill me, my eyes flashed as a second tendril of red appeared alongside the first whipping at the now retreating bird, I turned to see Anna her hair ablaze in fire her eyes burning relentlessly and tearing as she lashed out at the beast looking to protect me, those sad tears falling down her face as her past overshadowed reason. I glared at the bird that had caused those tears, anger rising within me, no one is going to make my family cry I decided in that instant.

I had never done anything good for myself or others on Earth, but here with this power I could become something, gain friends have a family ... Find a home. It was a selfish thought but that was what I really wanted … somewhere to call home.

I darted forward at an amazing speed and leapt high into the air, above the Beast, it looked up as me as its first opponent Anna fainted her hair returning to its (normal not on fire lashing out everywhere state). I twisted in the air soaring ever higher as I positioned myself above the bird pulling my legs close to leap again, in mid-air. Ripping through the sky I was released, a human arrow towards its prey screaming towards the bird.

"Time to take you out of the food chain bub"

The corny line escaped my lips, a malicious smile appearing on my mouth a crazed air around me black mist trailing my path as I slammed into the head of the bird drilling the rock into the top of its beak as I crashed back to earth, slamming its head into the ground shattering it around us. I looked up to see Anna's dazed eyes on me. I then realised my stupid mistake, I smiled to her, as we fell into the awaiting ocean.

 **Perspective Anna**

The scream left my lips filling the air with the dread I felt as I reached forward hopelessly towards the slowly retreating Alii. He disappeared from sight after a stupid smile on his face a black mist left in his place, the deathly scream of the bird and the dangerous, animalistic roar of the demon retreated as they fell into the ocean. I knelt starring out into the sky tears freely flowing down my eyes, as the scene played again and again in my mind, the gently rising sun shining pityingly on me.

"I COULD HAVE SAVED HIM" I screamed

"IF ONLY I WAS STRONGER" if only I could control my power

I mentally attacked myself blaming Alii's death on myself. A rusty screeched pierced my thoughts as I heard the bird dive towards me, huh so there was another one, and now it will take my life, this is as much as I deserve. I lowered my head down in resignation as I was snatched of off the cliff face.

Gentle hands was what received me instead of the embrace of those sharpened onyx claws.

 **Perspective Alii**

We fell fighting in the air the bird scrapping at me the mist protecting me from harm, I managed to reach out to its neck and grab a handful of feathers and pull myself up. I grabbed its two horns like motorbike handles and furiously pulled up as the sea quickly came to meet us. Whoosh! The rush of air pass through us as we skimmed over the water away from the cliff. I turned the Beast towards the receding figure kneeling on the lonely cliff, the Beast responded in my hands as we swooped down towards that poor figure. I reached out and with my remaining strength pulled her off of the sharp rocks and onto the smooth feathers of the Beast.

Her red rimmed, tear struck eyes opened and gazed at me causing a new onrush of water to flow from those beautiful, strong eyes. Smack! Her hand came across my face like lighting slamming into my jaw and reddening the skin leaving it stinging as she released.

"You slapped me"

"Stupid Alii"

"What?"

"You could have died"

"I could've, but I didn't"

"Shuttup"


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

 **Stiches?**

The metal passed through my skin, piercing the already damaged flesh. I managed to muffle my scream of pain, as the others looked on in shock and horror.

 **15/05/2014_7am**

With Anna guiding I managed to navigate the Beast back to the institute within under an hour. We circled around the institute as frenzied figures darted back and forth, every once and a while one would stop and point at the soaring beast in the sky. Obviously we had been noticed, we had to land fast before we were shot out of the sky. Too late, a catapult fired, sending its projectile out of the sky, I swerved the beast out of the way and aimed it at the courtyard of the institute, another projectile sored towards it, Anna's hair set alight as she still lay in front of me a tendril whipped towards the incoming projectile splitting it in half as the heat seared through the rock.

We landed safely on the ground and managed to leap to the ground showing ourselves before we could be attacked again.

We were lead to the infirmary after I made sure the beast was properly stored, the nurse took one look at me and dragged me to a bunk setting me down and pulled out a large thin needle. Elsi was the first to burst through the door followed by Frank and the professor.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't realised there was a second beast nearby"

I glared at her realisation dawning as I remembered the bag being pulled over my head in Elsi and my room, and that fact that she was absent at the time to, well not so much now it seems.

"We'll talk about this later"

The metal passed through my skin, piercing the already damaged flesh. I managed to muffle my scream of pain, as the others looked on in shock and horror. What was wrong surely they've seen worse than this? I felt a gentle searing pain on my eyebrow and reached up to the large gash on my forehead. A scar, on my forehead, no gash no mortal wound, just a scar, where the wound had been earlier. The professor quickly reached forward towards the nurse, she fainted and was gently placed into her desk chair.

"Let's continue this in my office. Without any prying eyes"

Bang! The world split around me once again as I fell into the dark endlessness of the void, the professor in front of us falling gently while the rest of us ungracefully tripped into darkness. Bang! We landed in the Professors office, in a blinding flash of light landing in an unruly heap, the professor perched in his mahogany desk my three companions shaking after the Void Walk, Anna fell into a chair shaking worse than the others, I quickly ran over and held her hand looking at her face.

"Don't look so worried, I'll be fine, it seems the void isn't as bad as the darkness, Haha, it's a lot creepier"

Hmf! I heard Elsi's soft scoff from behind me and quickly released Anna's hands, and awkwardly stood up. Was she jealous? I blushed a little, satisfaction shown on Eli's face.

No!

She betrayed me at the ceremony and then again when she kidnapped Anna and I putting both of us in mortal danger, she was not on my friend list at the moment. I glared all my hatred at her, she turned away in shame, sensing the reasoning behind my intent.

"Son, come closer"

I walked forward at the professors biding, he placed his cool wrinkled hand on my scar, it started to glow. After a minute the glowing eased of and he released his hold.

"Thank god"

"Ah so, what happened"

"As you may have guested you have demon power"

"Yeah, that why no one wanted to choose me" I glared over at Elsi who avoided my gaze before kindly smiling at Anna.

"Yes that's right, what I should have explained before your Exam wa-"

"Wait exam?"

"Yes yes exam anyway-"

"No no no! No anyway EXAM? This was a bloody exam"

"Son calm down now"

"Don't tell me to calm down Old Man, You put both Anna and my life in danger and call that an exam"

"Son the second beast appearing wasn't foreseen the Air-Beasts had migrated a month ago, this one must have been left behind, the Slug-Golem was only an E level beast"

"Oh an E level beast, you left us in a cave, you obviously knew about Anna's fear and left us in a dark cave with no way down, how did you expect us to escape, what if something happened and we hadn't had defeated the beasts. No wait it's okay because it was only an E level beast. Well excuse me"

I was beyond reason at this point, I was furious at the old man in front of me and the two who I thought had "befriended" me.

I continued my rant

"I thought I could find family here, I thought I could call this place home. We could have died, You all lied to m-"

A hand reached out to me, holding mine. I looked down into Annas eyes? Why was she so far away? My eyes widened as I realised I was floating above the others trapped in black mist. I dropped to the floor out of this mist that had consumed me. The shocked look from frank and the lost and scared look Elsi gave me made me sad. They were scared of me, they were scared of me because I was a demon. I squeezed Anna's hand gently before letting go and took a deep breath.

Talk.


	12. Chapter 12

**Answers?**

I grabbed him and ran, the small child rapped in red cloth weighing me down as I sprinted towards the Void Portal, demons chasing me as I ran with their bastard heir, son of demon and earthling, but to be raised by those of vale.

 **15/05/2014_7am**

"You're not of earth, well not fully. The reason I have been gone for seven years is because of the recovery I had to undertake after retrieving you from, Demonica or as you know it. Hell. I thought that I would be fine without rest, but I was naïve and sorely mistaken. I should have realised the demons blood had played an effect on me especially after I sealed your power with my own, I nearly died"

 **Seven Years Ago**

I had surveyed the fortress for a whole month now, learning its guard changes, the times the guards got bored or tired, or the quirks some of them had. I had a fairly accurate image of the outside of the castle, and the courtyard from when I had ventured close enough, using disguise magic to see.

I headed towards the front gate, were in approximately three seconds the guard would do a minute walk of the courtyard, giving me time to scale the wall. 7,8,9,10 … what! why wasn't he moving. Shit, the oaf had fallen asleep, this could be bad, if he awoke while I scaled the wall I could get in trouble, but I had no other choice. I stealthily stalked towards the guard and snuck around him to the wall, using my cloak to meld into the shadows of the clouds, trees and wall. I made it safely to the wall, step one done, now for step two. I grabbed onto two bricks with worn out grout making good hand holds and pulled myself up and towards the wall, one hand after the other as I scaled the wall.

I had a couple more steps to go, I grabbed onto the next handhold. Oh no! A fake. Sometimes fortresses had fake bricks that looked sturdy but had been planted to trip up intruders. Apparently I had found such a brick, it pulled out of the wall my hand falling back with the heavy weight pulling my body of balance ripping my legs of the wall, precariously holding on by one hand, I let go of the brick quickly. Unfortunately the guard chose that time to wake, and looked up as the brick fell. His skull crushed under the bricks impact as it smashed into his face, imploding his nose, eyes and mouth into his brain, the juices squirting out amongst the exploding blood. He dropped to the floor a bloody mess. I recovered quickly and reached up to grab another brick before I could fall, BUGGER!, it fell again as I grasped another fake brick right above the first, this time it carried me with it to the ground. Thud!

"Oof" I hit the ground knocking the breath out of me, my arm pinned under the large brick. That didn't look good. I couldn't feel the pain (luckily) my hand was flattened like a pancake under the large rectangular rock, the bone of my elbow pocking through my forearm. Sigh! Time to improvise.

"HEEEEELLLPPPP"

I screamed loudly to get the attention of the other guards activating my disguise magic and suddenly turning into a guard as I did so. I grabbed my gear and through it into a nearby bush.

"HEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLPPPPPP"

My voice croaked as the sound of the guards voice came out. 5 armed guards came running around the corner.

"By Demonica, what happened hear man, an older guard asked"

"Get this rock of my bloody arm first"

"Ah yes right, MEN"

His 4 assistants came forward each taking a corner and lifting it long enough for me to release my arm.

(As you may be wondering, yes this is a demon fortress, but demons generally take the form of man as it is less stressful and helps them trick their prey).

I stood up cradling my squashed arm.

"What happened here man?"

"Sir, an intruder came over and tried to scale the wall but hit two fake bricks, as we did our rounds of the courtyard, it landed on us, I barely managed to survive, my partner was not so lucky"

"Alright quickly heal up and report to King Cyrus, he will want to hear of this"

AH yes healing, all demons could heal fast that's why you had to annihilate then not just wound them.

"Yes sir, just a moment sir"

I quickly extended a new disguise over my ruined arm turning into a normal one, the pain started to come but I had to hold out. For the moment at least.

"You two take this man to the morgue and replace those bricks, quickly. You guard follow me"

We followed the leaders and instructions and went about the business he issued, myself following him.

I followed the group through the front gate. The head demons two guard standing either side, didn't make a noise as my demonic blade slipped between there shoulder blades and ripping down there back. The leader though heard the thump of the bodies as they hit the moist grass, and turned in time to see me break my disguise.

"Very pretty trick Vale-Man, but u are Injured and now face a demon, you're assassination won't work on m-"

The blade slipped through the blabbering demons chest as he rambled, ripping upwards splitting open his chest letting out a geyser of black demonic blood, which I managed to catch on my injured arm as I leapt out of the way of the poisonous liquid. I quickly shook my arm before the poison could enter my body and cause any lasting damage (of course some had entered but I had not known at the time), the demons disappearing into a black mist as their bodies exploded, I quickly picked up the astral shards left behind marking their deaths and placed them in my bag. After the commotion had ended I walked through the front gates having defeated the guards stationed there. I didn't have long before more came to take their posts and realised they were dead. I hurried up the front steps to the fort and made my way inside. Unexpectedly differentiating from my plan using … The front door! Pushing the large polished metal open I entered and stepped into a long poorly lit hall.

I couldn't see anyone as I walked along the hall. Very suspicious. I kept going for a while searching for any signs of life, I had to find the girl before the demon king finished his plans. I kept walking for a while before reaching another set of doors, most likely leading to the throne room. Good, through the throne room and then a door to the left should lead the king's personal stair case up to his chambers. I quietly slipped thought the double doors and swiftly ran to the gargantuan throne, obviously the king stayed in his demon presence whilst inside the fort more often than not. I kept running before I heard a sound and dove behind the curtains backing the throne. Two maids entered from a hidden entrance under the gargantuan throne, and before they door could close I slipped through after them I wouldn't of spotted this if they hadn't of come out, I guess Lord Vale is looking over me.

I looked around the well-lit corridor and followed it to a simple oaken door. The door wasn't locked or barred it wasn't even closed properly. I opened it and peaked inside and saw a man sitting over a young women who was obviously in pain her legs resting on a platform.

I was too late!

It was already happening!

The birth of the first, Inbreed!

I looked on in horror as a doctor came in through another door holding a wash basin and a towel, such cruel methods of child birth, why hadn't spells and wards been put up to peace the child and appease the women's pain, the cruel demon was enjoying this too much, he sat there oblivious to my presence caressing the woman's face and holding onto her tightly gripping hand. I had to step in, I had to be rid of the hell spawn coming from the woman before it entered the world and set forth a horrid chain of events.

I burst through the door pulling a cursed blade from under my sleeve and raising my hand to throw it at the pained women. I wound up my arm and whipped it forward releasing the blade from my hand, it spun over and over flying right for the women's stomach and the unborn Inbreed was a perfect throw.

It hit!

Black blood pouring down over his body!

"NOOOOOOO"

The woman screamed as the demon king dropped to the ground the demon blade impaled in his chest from where he had interfered with the trajectory placing himself in front of the woman saving her and the child. The blade taking not his child's life but his own.

But Why?

The accursed Demon king looked into my eyes, not with hate or loathing but with sorrow, a quiet plea.

"Make sure she lives"

He coughed his poisonous blood across the floor, the doctor through up and fainted where he stood.

"Birth the child Vale-Man, He is the only hope of peace between the four worlds"

Four worlds? What was he talking about there were only three, Vale, Earth and Demonica. What was this fourth world he spoke off?

He looked at me summoning all his remaining power to plea for the life of this child and the women lying in agony on the bed.

The demon was not lying I could tell in his moments of death, but what could I do? what should I do?

I rushed to the side of the women placing my hand on her forehead, she fell instantly silent. The king turned and smiled at me, then fell and exploded into a rain of black mist. I looked back at the women and over the course of the next hour helped her birth the Inbreed boy.

She looked up at me dazed and then down where the dagger lay on the scorched tiles. She started to cry. She didn't look angry at me, she couldn't she was so sorrowful that all she could do was cry.

I had to ask her about the Demon King.

"Did you love Cyrus?"

"Yes I did" She quietly sobbed on my shoulder

"He was a great and kind king and a wonderful husband"

They had married? That was a surprise as far as I knew she was kidnapped, not wed.

"I'm sure he was, what did he name the boy"

"He did not say. He said he was going to utter the name only when the child was in this world to keep the power within the name"

"Then may I ask what your maiden name is, Ma'am?"

"Graile, my name is Julia Graile"

"Did the king have any other names?"

"Yes he was known by many but only had three true names"

She leaned over to me and whispered the names the ancient magic held within flowing through me as I saw Cyrus's life and what he had done until his death. (True names had great power amongst demons and hat is why many chose to hid them such as King Cyrus.

"Then we shall call the boy Alii, Alii graile"

The power flowed through the room as the name was spoken to the inbreed the intake of breath as the energy flowed within him.

At that point the doctor awoke.

"Murder, murder in the castle, the king has been assassinated. Help!"

I looked at the women she was too frail to move after giving birth.

"Take him and look after him, he must live"

"What will you say?"

"I will say that I killed him so that the boy could inhale his power, we can't have a war between the worlds. It would destroy all of us"

"You will be punished heavily"

"I know, quick take him and leave"

I grabbed him and ran, the small child rapped in red cloth weighing me down as I sprinted towards the Void Portal, demons chasing me as I ran with their bastard heir, son of demon and earthling, but to be raised by those of vale. An Inbreed of immense power. A magical candidate of earth spousing with a demon would create much controversy and have great power he must be hidden until his potential is realised.

I dived into the abys of the void, creating a channel back to vail and demolishing my trail so none may follow me through.

Umpf! I landed hard in my office hitting my elbow on my mahogany table.

"Ouch Ouch Ouch"

Was still getting used to this void walking business.

I looked down at the boy in my arms, black marks imprinted on his body black demonic mist shrouding his being, but in his eyes held the most awe, the light of a magically powerful human Child… Alli Graile.


End file.
